Lantana plant named &#39;PIIL-I&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lantana  plant named ‘PIIL-I’, characterized by its low growing, layered and spreading growth habit; leathery, scabrous, lustrous dark green foliage; continuous flowering; and dark yellow flower buds that open to dark yellow and age to orange and eventually to orange-red. There are no other cultivars of  Lantana  with this combination of characteristics known to the inventor.

GENUS AND SPECIES OF PLANT CLAIMED

Lantana camara L.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘PIIL-I’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lantanaplant, botanically known as Lantana camara, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘PIIL-I’.

The new Lantana plant originated from a controlled cross between Lantanacamara ‘Dallas Red’ (not patented), female parent, and Lantana camara‘Sunset Orange’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,120), male parent, as part of aplanned breeding program to develop low growing, continuously floweringLantanas with dark green foliage. The cultivar ‘PIIL-I’ originated andwas discovered in a cultivated environment in Watkinsville, Ga.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by stem cuttings inWatkinsville, Ga. has shown that all the unique features of this newLantana, as herein described, are stable and reproduced true-to-typethrough successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new cultivar ‘PIIL-I’ have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withchanges in light, temperature, soil and rainfall without, however, anyvariance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe unique characteristics of ‘PIIL-I’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘PIIL-I’, as a new and distinct cultivar: 1. Lowgrowing, layered and spreading growth habit; 2. Leathery, scabrous,lustrous dark green, fragrant foliage; 3. Continuous flowering; and 4.Dark yellow flower buds that open to dark yellow, age to orange and theneventually to orange-red. There are no other cultivars of Lantana withthis combination of characteristics known to the inventor.

Plants of the new Lantana camara ‘PIIL-I’ differ from plants of the maleparent, ‘Sunset Orange’, (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,120) primarily inflower color, as plants of ‘Sunset Orange’, (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,120)have light orange flower buds that open to light orange and age to darkorange, whereas plants of ‘PIIL-I’ have buds that open to dark yellowand age to orange eventually to orange-red. Plants of the new Lantanacamara ‘PIIL-I’ are more spreading in habit compared to the stiff,bushy, habit of Lantana camara ‘Sunset Orange’.

Plants of the new Lantana can be compared to plants of Lantana camara‘Dallas Red’ (unpatented), the female parent, mainly in flower color.‘PIIL-I’ starts off as dark yellow turns to orange and ages toorange-red, whereas plants of Lantana camara ‘Dallas Red’ (unpatented)start off red turn to orange and yellow with aging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the flower and foliagecharacteristics and the overall appearance of the new Lantana, showingthe colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colorreproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differslightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanicaldescription which accurately describe the colors of the new Lantana.

FIG. 1 illustrates a close-up view of the inflorescences and foliage ofa two-year-old ‘PIIL-I’ plant.

FIG. 2 illustrates the overall appearance of a two-year-old ‘PIIL-I’plant in a 11.8 L container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for thedescription were approximately two-years-old and were grown in 11.8 Lcontainers in full sun under outdoor conditions in a nursery inWatkinsville, Ga.

-   Botanical classification: Lantana camara ‘PIIL-I’. Parentage: Female    or seed parent: Lantana camara ‘Dallas Red’ (not patented). Male or    pollen parent: Lantana camara ‘Sunset Orange’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.    24,120) (controlled-pollination). Propagation: stem cuttings. Time    to initiate roots, summer: about 10 days at 32° C.-   Plant description: Herbaceous flowering plant, subshrub, low    growing, layered and spreading growth habit. Freely branching habit    with about three to four primary lateral branches per plant; each    primary lateral branch with potentially two secondary lateral    branches developing at each node. Pinching enhances lateral branch    development. Length about 37.5 cm.    -   -   Root description.—numerous, fine, fibrous and well-branched.        -   Plant size.—about 24 cm in height from the media level to            the top of the inflorescences, and about 75 cm in diameter.            Young stems have a diameter of about 3 mm and a squarish            shape. Mature stems have a diameter of about 4 mm or more            and a rounded shape. Quantity of main branches per plant            3-4. Length of stems about 37.5 cm.        -   Stem strength.—strong, but flexible.        -   Stem texture.—coarse, pubescent.        -   Stem color (young).—144A. Color (mature): 199C.        -   Internode length.—about 3 cm.-   Vegetative buds: Opposite in arrangement, valvate, ovoid, pubescent.    Color: 144A. Size: about 1 mm in length and about 1 mm in width.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—opposite, simple. Length: about 3.5 cm. Width:            about 2 cm. Shape: ovate. Apex: acute. Base: cuneate.            Margin: dentate.        -   Texture (upper surface).—leathery, moderately waxy, with            scabrous pubescence. Texture (lower surface): rough, with            hispid pubescence.        -   Venation pattern.—pinnate. Venation color (upper surface):            144B. Venation color (lower surface): 144B.        -   Fragrance.—pungent, mint-like.        -   Color of developing foliage (upper surface).—146B. Color of            developing foliage (lower surface): 147B. Color of mature            foliage (upper surface): 147A. Color of mature (lower            surface): 147B.        -   Petiole length.—about 5 mm. Petiole diameter: about 2 mm.            Petiole texture, both surfaces: hispid pubescence. Petiole            color (upper and lower surfaces): 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—small salverform flowers arranged in            axillary corymbs; flowers face mostly upward or outward.            Flowers are self-cleaning. Freely flowering with potentially            two inflorescences per node; typically about 22 to 28            flowers per corymb. Natural flowering season: spring until            the first frost in fall; flowering is continuous. Flower            longevity on the plant: about one week. Fragrance: none            observed.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—about 4 cm. Inflorescence height:            about 2.5 cm.        -   Flower bud length.—about 1 cm. Flower bud diameter: about            3 mm. Flower bud shape: oblong. Flower bud color: N30A.        -   Flower appearance.—Flared trumpet, corolla fused,            four-parted; flowers roughly rectangular in shape. Diameter:            about 1 cm. Corolla tube length: about 1 cm. Depth (height):            about 1.5 cm. Throat diameter: about 1.5 mm. Tube length:            about 1.1 cm.        -   Pedicels.—none observed, flowers not stalked, sessile.-   Petals:    -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—Single whorl of four petals, fused            into flared trumpet. Diameter: about 9 mm by 11 mm. Depth            (height): about 1.5 cm. Throat diameter: about 1 mm. Tube            length about 1.1 cm.        -   Petal length from throat.—about 5 mm for the upper petal,            about 4 mm for the lower petal, and about 4 mm for the            lateral petals.        -   Petal width.—about 6 mm for the upper petal, about 5 mm for            the lower petal, and about 4 mm for the lateral petals.        -   Petal shape.—spatulate to somewhat orbicular. Petal apex:            obtuse. Petal base: fused. Petal margin: entire. Petal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: smooth, glabrous.        -   Petal color (young).—upper surface: 14A and lower surface:            14A. Color of throat: 14A. Color of corolla tube: 14A.        -   Petal color (mature).—upper and lower surfaces, throat, and            corolla tube: N25A. Petal color (aged): upper and lower            surfaces, throat, and corolla tube: N30A.-   Sepals:    -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—one sepal per flower at the base of            the corolla, leaf-like. Length is about 6 mm. Width is about            2 mm. Shape: lanceolate. Apex: acute. Margin: entire.            Texture, upper and lower surface: scabrous.        -   Sepal color, upper and lower surfaces.—146A.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Length.—about 2 cm. Diameter: about 1.5 mm. Angle: about 45            degrees from the stem. Strength: flexible, but strong.            Color: 144A.-   Stamens:    -   -   Quantity/arrangement.—four per flower, adnate to the inside            of the corolla tube. Anther shape: oblong. Anther length:            1 mm. Anther width: less than 1 mm. Anther color: 13B.            Pollen amount: produced in very small quantities, and 13B in            color.-   Pistils:    -   -   Quantity.—one inferior pistil per flower. Pistil length:            about 3.5 mm. Stigma shape: rounded. Stigma size: about 1 mm            in diameter. Stigma color: 145C. Style length: about 1.5 mm.            Style color: 145C. Ovary size: about 1 mm in diameter. Ovary            color: 145A.-   Fruit:    -   -   Type/appearance.—drupe. Shape: round. Diameter: about 5 mm.            Mature color: 202A. Number per infructescence: ranges from            zero to about five.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the claimed Lantana cultivar    grown in the garden have not been noted to be susceptible or    resistant to pathogens and pests common to Lantana.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Lantana plant named ‘PIIL-I’, asillustrated and described herein.